


Sitting in the Sun

by ultrahotpink



Series: Weather [1]
Category: Mercy Street (TV)
Genre: Civil War, F/M, Flirting, Sitting in the Sun, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-16
Updated: 2016-05-16
Packaged: 2018-06-08 18:44:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6868993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ultrahotpink/pseuds/ultrahotpink
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mary catches Jed enjoying an unguarded moment in the sun.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sitting in the Sun

**Author's Note:**

> This is based on a prompt for the May Fic Challenge for Day 13: Sun. Still trying to catch up with the prompts, but I hope you enjoy this offering.

Mary stepped onto the back porch. There was rarely a lull in the patient’s needs, but when there was she liked to slip outside for a moment of calm. A chance to fill her lungs with fresh air and feel the warm rays of the sun on her face for a moment.

The sun beat down outside of the shade of the porch. In the distance, she could see Jed sitting on the bench at the far side of the green patch that made up the small garden. 

He was leaning back on his hands, his eyes closed with his face upturned to the sun, his mouth upturned slightly in pleasure. His cravat and vest lay beside him, while the dark hair of his chest peaked out from the undone buttons of his shirt. 

She had seen him informally dressed before, when he was recovering from his illness, or when late at night after his last surgery, he took unnecessary items off in anticipation of sleep, but seeing him so raw, so peaceful, so happy, it gave her a tiny flutter in the pit of her stomach.

She should look away, she knew she should look away.

His eyes flew open, meeting hers. She took a deep breath in. 

"Will you join me?" Jed asked. 

Her pulse raced, but she moved towards him. She had been caught observing him in a private moment. The only thing to do was confess. "I didn't mean to disturb you. You looked so contented."

He put his vest back on, tucking the cravat in his pocket. "I've always enjoyed the sun. I used to bathe in it until I was brown as a child, much to Mother's dismay. She would say that ‘gentlemen don't sun themselves like a field hands’, although I've clearly never placed much stock in what a gentleman does." Jed moved to the left side of the bench leaving just enough room to sit without touching. Barely.

Mary sat beside him, tucking her hands in her lap. "I like the sun, although it does not like me. I freckle horribly."

Jed squinted, examining her face. "I don't see anything."

Mary closed her eyes, lifting her index finger to her cheek. "See there the light brown dots? They're only just starting but they'll be prominent by fall." Mary opened her eyes to see Jed staring at her intently.

He reached up, his hand lightly resting at her jaw, his thumb lightly grazing over her cheek.

Mary's heart thumped loudly at his gentle caress. His eyes scanned hers. 

Was he going to kiss her? Surely it would not be proper, although not wholly unexpected for him to do so. Would she welcome his kiss, however wrong it would be?

His hand dropped suddenly and he resumed his former distance from her. "Well I see what you mean by the freckles, I suppose, but I think they're charming."

Mary slowly exhaled the breath she had been keeping in. "That's because you don't have any."

He smiled, looking away from her. "I suppose we shall have to return soon. I have Private Jeffries surgery to perform, if you will assist me."

"Of course." She nodded. She was of course relieved that the veil of propriety had fallen again, but there was this vague traitorous feeling of disappointment that was also present, but this was not the time to dwell on that. Not when there was work to be done. 

She rose to her feet. "I shall prepare the surgical room, if you will instruct the orderlies."

He shook his head. "Very well."

She turned and moved back to the house.

"Mary." His voice beckoned.

She stopped and turned. "Yes Jed?"

He moved towards her, stopping a foot away. "Perhaps we might sit together in the sun again, or take a stroll in the woods?"

She turned, moving into the hospital doors. "I’ll have to ask the head nurse for permission as I hear she’s quite strict about such things."

He followed closely behind. “I could enlist the executive officer for help, for I hear he’s a favorite of hers.”

She stopped again, turning to face him. “Really? I hadn’t heard that.” Jed let out a laugh and she smiled back. “Now, I must prepare for the surgery.”

Mary moved quickly to the stairs as Jed branched off to the ward where Private Jeffries was. She knew that they were walking a fine line together, but where she would fall on that line was becoming clearer by the day.

**Author's Note:**

> I have an idea for a follow-up to this, if anyone is interested. Let me know what you think!


End file.
